Tonja Phillips 

AKA

Faces By Tonja

 

Tonja Phillips was born Tonja Johnson and reared in Lake Charles, LA. Tonja loves to share her love of the south and growing up in the culture of the Bayou. Her childhood was vibrant and filled with family. Tonja's household was Christian and she and her siblings grew up in the church. As a kid she would take her baby dolls and draw make up on them with anything she could get her hands on. It made sense that after finishing high school at Washington-Marion High School, Tonja decided to go to cosmetology school at Demmons School of Beauty. She recounts loving the originality of the school and felt the school didn't receive the proper acknowledgement it deserved considering the amount of amazing Make Up Artists and Hairstylist the school produced.

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  Once she completed Demmons School of Beauty and attained her state board certification, Tonja ventured into the gaming industry. Louisiana has a very thriving gaming industry and affords many of the residents who work in it a comfortable lifestyle. Tonja worked in the gaming industry for 12 years until she established her next career move. After attaining strong experience in the gaming industry, Tonja decided it was time to pack up and leave her roots in Louisiana. It was off to Washington D.C. Once she arrived in the District of Columbia, the journey of self-discovery began. While meditating on what career path to take, Tonja decided it was make-up that she loved and had passion for. She quickly began to research where to get training in her current area. The Dudley School of Beauty had an opening for advanced make-up artistry. Tonja enrolled and completed the certification program and graduated 3rd in her class. Our boss lady was not done there. She then went on to attend Bennett School of Cosmetology. She completed this program as well and received celebrity certifications. 

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Things started to really look up and Tonja noticed all the opportunities available within the big box make-up stores. While pursuing this endeavor, she discovered the sad truth of discrimination against plus size make-up artist. Tonja did not feel that the East Coast had many platforms for plus size MUA'S to be noticed. Sephora cosmetics was the first big box brand to give Mrs. Phillips a chance.  She eventually moved on to MAC cosmetics where she had always wanted to be. It was there she really grew as a make-up artist. After learning and growing at MAC for 6 years, Tonja went back to Sephora and this time she was a Beauty Studio Captain of make-up artist.  

 

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Her newest venture is doing special effects makeup for a web series called The Ward.  One of Tonja's big dreams is to have her work displayed on the big screen. At the rate this boss lady is going, this is something that seems inevitable. The Faces by Tonja brand continues to make major headway in the makeup world. Tonja is one of the reality stars of The Real MUA's of D.C. This is a online reality show. The show revolves around make-up and the lives of the artist. 

 

Mrs. Philip's brand Faces by Tonja is a bi-coastal brand. She has been featured in a few magazines this past year to include the international magazine Boss Mann. Tonja's magical hand has guided her brushes across the faces of many celebrities, public figures, as well as regular citizens and she treats them all as royalty. Faces by Tonja is taking the make up world by storm with no plans on stopping. Keep a look out because Faces by Tonja is coming to a face near you.